1129. This week, we talk with Ben Zimmer about the linguistic detective work of antedating words — finding earlier usages than those published in dictionaries. We look at the surprising origins of "Ms.," "scallywag," and the baseball history of "jazz."Find Ben on his website: <a href="https://benzimmer.com/" target="_blank">Benzimmer.com</a>Vietnam Graffiti Project at Texas Tech's Vietnam Center: <a href="https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/graffiti/" target="_blank">https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/graffiti/</a>The interface for searching the text on the canvas bunk bottoms: <a href="https://vva.vietnam.ttu.edu/#graffitiSearch" target="_blank">https://vva.vietnam.ttu.edu/#graffitiSearch</a>Ben's post that includes the Daily Orange article where Helen Herman’s claims she coined "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." March 10, 1931: <a href="https://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/wordroutes/tracking-down-the-roots-of-a-super-word/" target="_blank">https://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/wordroutes/tracking-down-the-roots-of-a-super-word/</a>🔗 Share your familect recording in a <a href="https://wa.me/message/LTNZOVFAQJK6B1&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1753892325231019&usg=AOvVaw2Z5GB4pvIMaVbr_E2jmpuS" target="_blank">WhatsApp chat </a>or at 833-214-4475.🔗 Watch my <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/mignon-fogarty" target="_blank">LinkedIn Learning writing courses</a>.🔗 Subscribe to the <a href="https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/subscribe" target="_blank">newsletter</a>.🔗 Take <a href="https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR" target="_blank">our advertising survey</a>. 🔗 Get the edited <a href="https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/antedating-ben-zimmer/transcript" target="_blank">transcript</a>.🔗 Get <a href="https://amzn.to/3LULzLb" target="_blank">Grammar Girl books</a>. 🔗 <a href="https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/subscription/">Join Grammarpalooza</a>. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-and-dirty-tips-for-better-writing/id173429229">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://joinsubtext.com/grammar">Subtext</a>. <a href="https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/subscription/">Learn more about the difference</a>. | HOST: Mignon Fogarty| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).| Grammar Girl is part of <a href="https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts">the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network</a>.<ul><li>Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend</li><li>Director of Podcast: Holly Hutchings</li><li>Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson</li><li>Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes, Rebekah Sebastian</li></ul>| Theme music by <a href="https://dashboard.simplecast.com/accounts/dd74e7bd-f654-43a6-b249-3f071c897900/shows/e7b2fc84-d82d-4b4d-980c-6414facd80c3/episodes/cfec9501-0b7a-415c-a558-213d584f3fa1/beautifulmusic.co.uk">Catherine Rannus</a>.| Grammar Girl Social Media: <a href="https://dashboard.simplecast.com/accounts/dd74e7bd-f654-43a6-b249-3f071c897900/shows/e7b2fc84-d82d-4b4d-980c-6414facd80c3/episodes/cfec9501-0b7a-415c-a558-213d584f3fa1/YouTube.com/grammargirl">YouTube</a>. <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@therealgrammargirl">TikTok</a>. <a href="http://facebook.com/grammargirl">Facebook</a>.<a href="https://www.threads.net/@thegrammargirl">Threads</a>. <a href="http://instagram.com/thegrammargirl">Instagram</a>. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/grammar-girl">LinkedIn</a>. <a href="https://mastodon.social/@grammargirl">Mastodon</a>. <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/grammargirl.bsky.social">Bluesky</a>. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

Finding the true history of words, with Ben Zimmer

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews